Prosecutors say a dispute among children selling bottled water led to gunfire and a high-speed police pursuit.
MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee woman faces 22 criminal charges after prosecutors said she shot a 12-year-old boy during a dispute involving children selling bottled water, then fled from officers with four children and another passenger inside her vehicle.
Cosetta Burrell, 33, was charged after the July 17 shooting near North 60th Street and West Silver Spring Drive. The boy was struck in the leg and taken to a hospital by his parents, according to a criminal complaint reviewed by local and national news organizations. Authorities have not publicly released additional information about his condition.
The case began with a disagreement over where several children were selling water and juice in the neighborhood, prosecutors said. A witness told investigators that the injured boy regularly sold water near his apartment and learned that another group of children had begun selling at the same median.
According to the complaint, the boy went to the median, drove the other children away and damaged their cooler before returning home. Burrell later told investigators that her son called her and said the boy had bullied him and broken his cooler. Prosecutors allege she then drove through the neighborhood looking for the 12-year-old.
Investigators said Burrell arrived in a white Nissan Pathfinder carrying several children. After a brief exchange, she allegedly retrieved a gun from the vehicle, got out and fired several times as the boy ran. One bullet struck the child in the leg, while another reportedly struck a nearby occupied home. Prosecutors said a 2-month-old infant was among the people inside that residence.
The complaint alleges Burrell also fired toward the boy’s brother. Witnesses told police she shouted at the injured child before returning to the SUV and leaving. Prosecutors have not alleged that anyone inside the nearby residence was injured.
Police located the Pathfinder at about 7:30 p.m. and attempted to stop it. Burrell allegedly refused to pull over, ran a stop sign and led officers on a 5.7-mile pursuit that reached about 83 mph. Prosecutors said she swerved toward an officer who was deploying tire-deflation devices.
Four of Burrell’s children and an adult male passenger were inside the SUV during the pursuit, according to court filings. The children were crying and visibly shaken when officers removed them from the vehicle after the chase ended, investigators said. The Pathfinder had previously been reported stolen by one of Burrell’s friends.
Burrell allegedly told investigators that she had intended to confront and physically fight the boy but fired near his feet because she wanted to scare him. She said the gun belonged to her girlfriend, according to the complaint. Prosecutors also said she acknowledged throwing the weapon from the vehicle during the pursuit.
Authorities said recorded jail calls provided further evidence in the case. Burrell allegedly expressed regret during one call but also described herself as a “hero” in another conversation. At her initial court appearance, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Commissioner Barry Phillips rejected that description and emphasized that the allegations had not yet been proven.
Burrell faces 18 felony counts and four misdemeanor counts, including first-degree reckless injury, child abuse, reckless endangerment, child neglect, fleeing an officer and firearms-related offenses. FOX6 reported that she had been released from prison 11 days earlier following a child abuse conviction and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
A court commissioner set Burrell’s bond at $100,000. She remained in the Milwaukee County Jail following her initial appearance and was scheduled to return to court July 28. An attorney representing her said she understood the seriousness of the charges and intended to attend future proceedings. Burrell has not been convicted in the new case.